Current events are straining the populations of Syria and Turkey. In the morning hours of Monday, February 6th, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook the city of Kahramanmaras, located in southern Turkey near its border with Syria. A few hours later, another, almost as strong, hit 60 miles north of the prior location. Their impact was much more severe than expected.

As of February 10, around 20,000 have been reported dead due to the earthquake. Over 3,000 buildings have collapsed, and according to the Syrian government; the number of people impacted is nearing 400,000. However, the population living in parts of Syria not controlled by the government is not accounted for in those numbers, so it is expected to be even higher.

For context; The people of Syria have now endured over 12 years of a civil war for democracy against their government. Many have decided to seek refuge in neighboring countries such as Turkey, which now shelters over 3.5 million Syrians. Such a great influx, could not be sustained by the Turkish government, causing thousands of refugees to live in precarious conditions near the border.

The high population of war refugees in the Turkish-Syrian borders, along with such difficulties as a lack of resources to house and feed those who are trying to escape, have combined to exponentially increase the damage done by the quakes.

So far, support for the nations has been limited. The region’s terrain and infrastructure, now impacted by the earthquake, are delaying the delivery of goods and the transportation of rescue teams in the most affected areas. “The situation remains grim in north-west Syria where only five percent of reported sites are being covered by search and rescue,” reports U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Reports and surveys from local responders and journalists have helped create a list of the four most important resources for over 270 different communities of refugees; Which include material for winterization, shelter, food, and MCPA (multi-purpose cash support).

If you or someone you know is interested in helping those impacted by the earthquakes, please consider donating to one of the following organizations below:

• Save the Children International
• RED CROSS
• UNICEF
• World Vision 
• Syrian American Medical Society
• Direct Relief 

Always beware of fraudulent sites and organizations before donating. IRS’s Charities and Nonprofits search tool allows anyone to verify the credibility of charities and other tax-exempt organizations.